Feed-water heater



March 15 1927 A. L PENNIMAN' FEED WATER HEATER :5 sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1925 ad a WW 3 w 2 I f y. .W 2 M 3 w 0 a m M .2 m

. 1,621,268 March 9 1927 PENNIMAN, JR

FEED WATER HEATER Filed June 6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR March 15 1927..

'A. L. FENNIMAN, JR

FEED WATER HEATER Filed June 6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 15,1927. I '1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-.'

ABBOTT I]. PENNIMAN, J R., OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR T WHEELER CON- DENSER & ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF CARTERET, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FEED-WATER HEATER.

Application filed June 6, 1925. Serial No. 35,278.

In power plant practice the advisability trapped or otherwise conveyed to the next of heating the feed water to prevent boiler succeeding heater in the series, as employed. strains, and to increase efficiency by the re- Within the shell I also employ a transversely quirements for smaller quantities of fuel'has disposd baflle platefand a partition wall,

5 been recognized for a long period. When which latter acting with a portion of the 60 the practice of heating feed water was first bafile late provides for an air cooler chamtaken up it was customary to heat the feed her wlthin the shell. The feed water heater water by utilizing the exhaust steam from also includes a plurality of suitably mountauXiliary apparatus. In this practice howed, and preferably U-shaped tubes, together ever, comparatively little economy was efwith means for conveying the feed water 65 fected, later the exhaust from generator to and from the said tubes, and a plurality driven house turbines and small auxiliary of staggered baflie plates in the condensing turbines was then utilized for heating the space of the heater for causing the steam tofeed water. Subsequently, and at the prestravel a sinuous-path with a maximum velocent time it has been found more effective and ity, so as to carry with it the air and non- 7 decidedly more eflicient to heat the feed wacondensible vapors which thereby are center through a suitable medium by steam veyed to the air cooler chamber, and from extracted from various stages of the more which they are vented or conveyed away eflicient main turbines. by a suitable air pu p, 1 otherwise. The

Experiments have shown that by employconstruction furthermore, is such that the ing a plurality of feed water heaters of a water box, the tube plate, the tube secured certain type a maximum efficiency is obthereto, and the other parts associated theretained by attaining a final temperature of with are removable as a unit from any parthe feed water, which temperature if exticular shell, so that the same are interceeded decreases the efliciency. It has also changeablev with other heatershells. These been found that the temperature at which and other features of the heater .will be the greatest eificiency is a maximum, depends hereinafter more particularly described.

upon the number of heaters employed; gen- In the drawing;

erally speaking the efficiency being substan- Fig. 1 is a partial elevation and central 30 tially proportionate to the number of heatlongitudinal section of a feed-water heater ers employed. In the use of these heaters. made in accordance with my invention.

the exhaust steam from a corresponding Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section number of stages of the turbine is bled and taken at right angles to the position of the carried to the several heaters for raising parts as shown in Fig. 1.

35 the temperature of the feed water which is v Fig. is a sectional plan taken on line conveyed in series through the heaters, irre- 33,- -F1g. 1. spective of the number of the same which Fig. 4' is a plan on line 4-4, Fig. 2, with may be employed. In selecting the bleedthe tube plate, tubes and parts associated ing points for conveying the steam from the therewith removed.

40 several stages of the turbine, it is advisable Referring particularly to the drawing the of course to select those points at which feed water heater made in accordance with the greatest efliciency may be obtained. my invention comprises a shell 10, which is These bleeding points are found to be such preferably cylindrical and made of steel, althat the total temperature rise in the feed though as Wlll be understood it may be 45 water is substantially divided equally beformed in other shapes and constructed of tween the heaters employed. any other suitable material. This feed wa- The feed water heater to which my inventer heater when in use is adapted to be placed tion relates is of the type and for the use in a vertically disposed position, and at the to which reference has hereinbefore been upper end of the shell the same is provided 50 made. This feed water heater preferably with a flanged rim 11. At the lower end of comprises a shell adapted to be placed in a the shell there is a bottom or base 12, provertical osition, and provided with a steam vided centrally or otherwise with a drain or inlet an return inlet for the condensate or outlet 13. As will be understood the rim condensed steam, and a drain from which 11, andthe bottom 12 may be welded or "55 the condensate or condensed steam is otherwise suitably connectedto the shell. In 11c a suitable position, preferably adjacent the lower end thereof the shell is provided with a steam inlet 14,and in another position, somewhat more removed from the bottom .with a return inlet-15, furthermore, the shell is also rovided with an air or other noncondensible vapor outlet 16, which is suitably placed so as to communicate with the air cooler chamber to which reference is hereinafter made. Interiorly-the shell is provided with a longitudinal partition wall 17, which may be suitably connected thereto, and preferably divides the interior of the shell into compartments in the portion of substantially twenty (20%) and eighty (80%) per cent. The tpp.l8 of the partition wall lies appreciably distant from the upper end of the shell, so as to leave a passage between thesame and the tube plate as hereinafter described. At the lower end this longitudinal partition'wall 17 is suitably connected .to a

transverse bafli'e plate 19, which as indicated. may be connected to and supported by suitable brackets orlugs 20 or otherwise; that portion of the transverse bafile plate '19 lying between the shell and the longitudinal partition wall is imperforate, while that portion of the transverse battle plate 19, ex-.

tending beyond the longitudinal partition wall is provided with a series of apertures 21, by which the condensed steam or. condensate, or a large portion thereof is caused to drip through the incoming steam, to which reference will be hereinafter made.

4 The transverse bafile plate 19 extends from one portion of the shell, substantially threeqluarters of the diameter of the shell toward t e opposite side thereof. The longitudinal partition wall and a portion of the transverse baflle form an air cooler chamber or space 22. Exteriorly the shell may be provided with suitable angle brackets 23 and 24 in oppositely disposed position by which the feed water heater is supported upon a suitable base or foundation provided for this purpose. J V

The feed water heater also includes a tube plate 25, of a diameter substantially equal to that of the flanged rim 11; suitably secured in this tube plate and at their respective ends there is a plurality of tubes 26. These tubes 26 are U tubes, and the ends thereof may be connected to the .tube plate in any arrangement and by any suitable means. By the use of the U tubes connected at theirv ends in a unitary tube plate,it will be understood that a free expansion of the tubes is possible. lVithin the condenser chamber of the heater I also prefer to employ a plurality of transversely placed stag- The tubes 26 pass.

gered bafiie' plates 27. through apertures provided therefor in these baflie plates 27, and the bafiie plates are supported by rods 28, or otherwise, which are other non-condensible vapors to the upper portion of the heater, where they pass over the upper edge of the longitudinal partition wall 17 to the air cooler chamber 22.

' The feed water heater also includes the customary water box 29, which may be made -quently to assist in conveying the air and of steel or cast iron or other material, de-

pending upon the-pressure which in practice the same must withstand. This water box 29 is flanged in the customary manner and is provided with a feed water inlet 30, anda feed water. outlet 31. Within the water box there is a centrally disposed partition wall 32-, extending across the same, and a transverse partition wall 33, extending half way across the same, these partition walls dividing the interior of the water box into compartments indicated at 34, 35 and 36. This construction provides a four pass arrangement. It may be desirable however, in some instancesto employ either a two pass or a six pass, or even an eight pass con struction. Also as is customary the water box is provided with a cover or bonnet 37, connected thereto by suitable bolts or otherwise, and for the purpose ofreinforcing the parts. The interior of the water box may also be fitted with suitable spaces 38, which in any desired manner are preferably associated with the bolts, by which the bonnet, the water box and the tube plate may be connected to each other. Alsoas is clearlyindicated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing that portion of the transverse baflie plate 19, forming the bottom of the air cooler chamber may be fitted with a suitable trap 39, by means of which any steam which may be conveyed over into the air cooler chamber and therein condensed, is trapped back to the incoming steam space and the condensate chamber 40, immediately below the same.

. It will be noted that the feed water heater duce the make-up into the main condenser. after it has passed throughthe oil cooler or generator air cooler. This make-up together with condensate from the main condenser will then pass to the hot well where, if desired, it may be deaerated by the introduction of all or a portion of the hot drips from the bleeder heaters. This deaerated water is then pumped through the several pieces of heat exchange apparatus together with the bleeder heaters from which it is delivered to the boilers.

The feedwater heaters may be conveniently employed in batteries of 2, 3, 4 or more, depending on the feedwater temperature desired and the general arrangement of the station heat balance. As, for example, a

i water arranged so as to maintain a high steam ve- 9-stage impulse turbine can be arranged for bleeding from the 3rd, 5th and 7th stages. Steam bled from the 3rd stage is conveyed to the 1st feedwater heater; the steam bled from the 5th stage of the turbine is conveyed to the 2nd feedwater heater, and steam bled from the 7th stage of the turbine is conveyed to the 3rd feedwater heater. The condensed steam, or condensate, from the 1st feedwater heater may then be trapped back to the 2nd feedwater heater; the condensed steam, or condensate, from the 2nd feedwater heater may be trapped back to the 3rd feedwater heater, and the condensed steam, or condensate, from 3rd feedwater heater may be passed through a heat exchange device, and thence to the hot well of the main condenser where it may be used for deaerating the feedwater sufficiently to remove any entrained air or non-condensible vapor so that the necessity of any special deaerating apparatus is eliminated.

It will be understood the use of the trans verse baffle plate 19 is particularly desirable, for example, in the 2nd and 3rd feedwater heaters, where the steam bled from the 3rd and 5th stages of the turbine is superheated,

because the steam as it enters the feedwater heater passes directly beneath this transverse bafiie plate, and consequently the steam passes through the water of condensation, and thereby the superheat is removed from the steam. The superimposed series of baflle plates of the steam chamber in each feedheater as hereinbefore stated, are also locity around the tubes, which causes the air and other non-condensible vapors to be carried to, or toward the top of the feedwater heater, and thenceover the upper edge of the longitudinal partition wall, and into the air chamber where the air and other non-condensible vapors may gravitate toward the bottom of the air cooler chamber, and from which they are vented or removed by an air pump or otherwise, as hereinbefore stated. Any steam which may find its" way into the air cooler chamber and is there condensed is trapped back into the heater shell by means of the trap 29, as hereinbefore described.

It is furthermore to be noted, that in the feedwater heater as constructed in accordance with my invention, the tube plate, the

tubes, the water-box and the parts associated therewith when connected form a unit which may be removed from any condenser shell, as such, and replaced in the condenser shell, or set in any other condenser shell, so that the tube plate, the tubes and water-box units are interchangeable in various shells for heaters of like capacity.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a feed water heater, a cylindrical vertically placed shell, a tube plate at the upper end of the shell, a. plurality of U tubessuspended at their ends from the said tube plate and extending downwardly therefrom, means for admitting steam adjacent the lawer end of the shell and below the lower ends of the said U tubes, a water box associated with the tube plate, an inlet connection for admitting feed water to the water box, and an outlet connection for conveying the feed water from the water box.

:2. In a feed water heater, a cylindrical vertically placed shell, a tube plate at the upper end of the shell, a plurality of U tubes suspended from the tube plate and extending downwardly therefrom into the said shell, means for admitting steam to the shell beneath the lower ends of the said U tubes, a transverse bafile plate lying between the steam inlet and the adjacent lower ends of the U tubes and extending partially across the said shell, and means for conveying feed water to and away from the said U tubes.

3. In a feed water heater, a cylindrical.

vertically placed shell, a tube plate at the upper suspended from the tube plate and extending downwardly into the said shell, a steam inlet connection through the shell'below the lower ends of the said U tubes, atr'ansverse bafiie plate lying between the steam inlet and the lower ends of the U tubes and extending partway across the said shell, a longitudinal partition wall extending upwardly from the said baffle plate and dividing the interior of the shell into a steam condenser chamber and an air cooler chamber, and means for conveying feed water to and away from the said U tubes.

4. In a feed water heater, a cylindrical shell, a steam inlet adjacent one end of the shell, a tube plate at the opposite end of end. of the shell, a plurality of U tubesthe shell, a pluraliy of U-shaped tubes secured at their ends in the said tube plate and extending from the same to points adchamber, means whereby chamber,. and means for conveying feed water -to, and from the said tubes.

5. In a feed water heater, a cylindrical shell, a steam inlet adjacent one end of the shell, a tube plate at the opposite end of the shell, a plurality of U-shaped tubes Secured at their ends in the said tube plate and extending from the same to points adjacent the said steam inlet, a transverse baflie plate extending partway across the shell interiorly thereof, between the inner ends of the said U-tubes and the said steam inlet, a 1011- gitudinal partition wall extending from the said transverse bafile plateto a point 'ad a cent the tube plate, and with a portion of the ba'flle plate and the said shell providing for an air cooler chamber, an air outlet conmotion from the said air cooler chamber, the

said transverse bafiie plate being perforated in that portion of the same which extends beyond the said transverse partition walls, whereby the incoming steam is caused to pass through the water of condensation as the same drips from the perforated portion of the transverse bafile plate, and means for coggeying feed water to, and from the said tu s.

- 6. In a feed water heater, a cylindrical shell, a' steam inlet adjacent one end thereof, a tube plate at the other end thereof, a transverse baflle late extendingpart way across the shell ad jacent the said steam inlet, a

plurality of U-tubes connected in and extending from the tube plate to points adjacent the said baflle plate, a longitudinal partition wall extending from the transverse baflle plate to a point adjacent the tube plate, and providing an air cooler chamber and a condenser chamber within the shell, an air outlet connection communicating with the air cooler'cha'mber, a series of staggered baffle plates through which the said tubes pass in the condenser chamber, and by which the steam is caused to travel ina sinuous patharound the said tubes and'toassist in conveying the air and non-,condensible vapors, to the tube plate endof the heater, where they then enter the air'cooler steam which may be condensed in the air cooler chamber is trapped back within the heater shell, and means for conveying feed water to, and

- from the said Lubes.

7. In a feed water heater, a cylindrical shell, a tube plate at the upper end of the shell, a plurality ofU tubes suspended from the tube plate and extending into the said shell, a steam inlet connection through the said shell below the lowerends of the said U tubes, a return inlet connection at the lower end of the said shell, a condensed steam outlet connection adjacent the bottom of the said shell, a transverse baflle plate above the said steam inlet connection and below the lower ends of the said tubes and extending partway across the said shell, a longitudinal partition. wall extending upwardly from the said transverse baffle plate and dividing the tube space in the shell into a steam condensing chamber and an air cooler chamber,

said steam condensing chamber, a water box associated with the tube plate, and means for conveying feed water to and from the said water box.

end of the shell,

a plurality of U-tubesconnected in and exr tending downwardly from the said tube late topoints adjacent the said transverse aflle plate, a partition wall extending from the said transverse baflle a point adjacent the said ing the interior of the shell into an air cooler chamber and a condenser chamber, an air outlet connection in connection with the air cooler chamber, a' plurality of staggered tube plate, dividplate upwardly to baflle plates in the said condenser chamber,

and through which the said U-tubes therein pass, means for supportin the said staggered baffle plates, 2. water-box tions for conveying feed water to, and from the said water-box in order that the same may be caused to traverse the said U-tubes. Signed by me this 21 day of May, 1925.

' ABBOTT L. PENNIMAN, JR.

and connec- I 70 a plurality of staggered baflie plates surrounding the U tubes in the 

